


Coastlines

by Hermes_and_Whiskey



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Human Gems (Steven Universe), strangers to enemies to friends to lovers really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-29
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2020-05-30 21:10:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19411480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hermes_and_Whiskey/pseuds/Hermes_and_Whiskey
Summary: Lapis Lazuli moved to Beach City to start fresh a year ago but life has a way of not transitioning as smoothly as one hopes. When Lapis gets invited to something out of her comfort zone, she's about to meet someone who'll flip her peaceful transition on its head.





	1. 5 AM Sharp

At 5 AM sharp, the Big Donut was the first store to open and the last to close along the Beach City waterfront. Its telltale neon signs were flicked on one by one and the door to the donut shop would be unlocked with a simple twist of a key by an employee unlucky enough (or lucky, according to Sadie who was a regular early bird) to get the morning shift. On this particularly humid Saturday, that certain employee happened to be Lapis Lazuli.

Lapis had arrived around roughly 3:00 that morning to prepare the store for opening, prepping donuts, stocking shelves and warming up the coffee pots and drink machines for the long day ahead. At the start of the shop’s open hours, she would crack the front door open to breathe some of the fresh air before the midday sun would turn the day into a stifling mess. The Big Donut faced East, having a direct view of the beach which the city was not-so-craftily named for. The waves of ocean and sand along the shoreline were silhouetted by the last remnants of the night sky but the sun had rose considerably since Lapis last chanced a look out of the window. Its early morning rays painted the scenery in a brilliant wash of oranges and pinkish reds. She enjoyed the view immensely, even though she was rather reluctant to enjoy it up close as of late. Sometimes, the never-ending shorelines of Beach City felt too much like Lapis’ old hometown, halfway across the globe.

Lapis had picked up and left home to trade one coastline for another, figuring that a fresh start was as good as any, even if Beach City would always feel vaguely familiar to the place she was born. But whether the bittersweet reminder was a good thing or a bad thing, she couldn’t decide. Lapis would often contemplate, start the coffee machine, pour a cup for herself and watch the light of the horizon swallow the last of the night, listening to the seagulls cawing in the distance before the first customer arrived.

***

Roughly 3 hours after Lapis opened shop, the door to the Big Donut swung open with a chime and a burst of warm air, carrying in a boy half the size of Lapis. Besides Mr. Smiley, Steven Universe was the only other customer she had seen since she started her early shift. He sported a striped grey, white and blue tank top and slightly worn blue jean shorts and flip flops, forgoing his typical attire of a t-shirt and cuffed blue jeans. He shuffled his way first to the freezer of Lion-Lickers and then to the front counter where Lapis was perched on a bar stool.

“Morning Lapis!”

“Morning Steven. The usual?”

“Don’t you know it!”

Lapis set to work on Steven’s order, plopping his donut in a white paper bag before she reached behind her and pulled out a bottle of water from the fridge. She set the frosted bottle on the counter, “Here Steven, for good measure. I hear its supposed to be a hot one today.”

“Wow thanks! What do I owe you?”

“This one’s on-the-house. It seems like you’re gonna be out on the town today, so I figured you’d need it.” Lapis folded the donut bag neatly along the crease of its opening. “What plans have you got going on this morning?” `

Pulling the water bottle toward him, Steven’s eyes sparkled with gratefulness, a wide smile blooming across his face. Lapis always appreciated Steven’s Saturday morning visit to the Big Donut. He couldn’t have been older than 14, but his genuine optimism and thoughtfulness always made him seem wise beyond his teenage years. Steven Universe was the first true friend that Lapis made when she moved to Beach City a little over a year ago, and he was the one who introduced her to the local artist who Lapis now mentees under, Vidalia Yellowtail.

“Well actually, since you asked, Connie is coming to see me later this afternoon for a jam session. We’re putting together a setlist for the Beach City Summer Concert in a few weeks and Sadie will be playing a couple of songs with her band too. So, well, if you haven’t already heard about it, it’d be great if you came! I’m inviting a bunch of people and a friend from out of town’ll be there.” Steven fished a pair of sunglasses from his back pocket. He hung them precariously from the edge of his nose and leaned his elbow on the counter, tilting his head toward Lapis in a ‘faux cool guy’ fashion. “It’ll be _really_ cool.”

Lapis giggled at his antics, setting his donut bag on the counter and glancing at the walls of the shop. Posters for the Beach City Summer Concert were plastered everywhere. She even Helped Vidalia print some posters a few weeks back. It would be hard to miss, but Lapis wasn’t sure she’d fit in as easily as Steven could in a crowd, which is why she actively avoided mentioning it until now. “Well, I… uh…”

Steven’s eyes bore into Lapis’, the word ‘expectation’ clearly written on his face.

Lapis sighed, pushing the donut and Lion Licker ( _not for me, for my cat,_ Steven once told her) to the opposite edge of the counter. “It… sounds like it’ll be fun to check out. I’ll see if I can make it.” _Well it wasn’t a ‘no.’_

Steven’s smile split his face as he picked up his purchases and nearly skipped towards the front door. He lifted his shades to his forehead before he turned back towards Lapis, “No worries if you can’t, but if you do, I’ll promise to dedicate a song to you.”

It was Lapis’ turn to offer a grin as she raised a hand with a small wave. “I’ll see you later Steven.”

“See you later Lapis. And thanks for the water!”

The bell above the door chimed as Steven jogged around the corner and toward the boardwalk. The door closed softly, shutting out the sounds of town life and enveloping the lone cashier in silence. Lapis peeked at her phone.

Just a couple more hours before the end of her shift. Then home. Then a shower and some abstract painting. Then sleep.

Then what?

She drummed her fingers on the cool white countertop, humming a tune as she watched the minutes tick by.


	2. Some Art Stuff, Some Sand Stuff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paint stains, sand gremlins, and ukuleles.

Lapis drenched her forearms with another splash of hot water and soap. She spent her evening stooped over her bathroom sink, scrubbing away at already reddening skin in the hopes that the black blobs permeating the length of her arms would be cleaned away. The young artist spent a good portion of her free day in Vidalia’s printmaking studio and had made a mess of her apron and hands printing and re-etching spare lithography plates. Printer’s ink was nearly impossible to wash off, and for a moment, Lapis considered grabbing a tub of her mineral solvents to help remove the stains from her skin. _Bad idea Lapis._ She shook the thought from her head, turned the faucet off and dried her arms with her shabby blue shop towel in defeat.

As she folded her towel and slung it over the rack, Lapis caught her reflection in the mirror. She pulled herself closer to her double, examining the tired, slightly sunken eyes that stared back at her. Tired wasn’t the word that Lapis would often associate with herself. This fatigue she felt seemed unfamiliar. More permanent, in a way. The results of emotional baggage that she had carried to Beach City could be plainly written on her face if someone knew where to look.

She tried her best to ignore the pangs of loneliness she felt being here. Beach City was by all accounts the perfect place for someone like Lapis to settle: It was small but diverse, the art community here was thriving, and the rent was generously cheap for the location ( _Thank you, Mr. Universe_.) Lapis had made a few acquaintances over the past year, but besides Steven, Vidalia, and her coworkers, friends were few and far between. Even if she wanted to, she couldn’t go home. Money was tight and job opportunities like the ones she had here were a rarity. Still, she wasn’t sure if she could ever fit in and, more often than not, Lapis found herself in between the metaphorical ‘rock and a hard place.’ She heaved a sigh and let her hands drop to her sides. _Whatever. It’s just… one day at a time Lapis. I can do this._ She gave herself a half-hearted smile in the mirror, not quite reaching her eyes, and shuffled off to her bedroom to change into some casual clothes.

It was Saturday evening, 64 and mostly clear. It was also the night of the Beach City Summer Concert that Lapis had been on the fence about going to. It was only when Steven popped back into the Big Donut Thursday morning that Lapis had made up her mind. She could say no to a lot of things, but Steven’s hopeful brown eyes were her Achilles’ heel. Lapis dug through her closet, pulling out bundles of clothing before she settled on a light weight cropped sweater and a lengthy floral skirt. Long sleeves would have to do tonight; nothing was getting those stains off her arms anytime soon and she needed something to cover them. She slipped on her sandals at the door, gave herself a once over in the mirror, and slipped silently out into the night.

***

It was just past 7:30 when Lapis arrived at the beachfront. She opted out of taking her car in favor of a stroll through the town which was now glowing with the reflections of a pink and red sunset. The walk had been a nice one; the gentle breeze coming in from the ocean fingered through her locks of hair as she walked, and it did well to lull Lapis into contentment. Just past the boardwalks, a crowd had started to grow near a makeshift podium which would serve as the main stage for the local performers and musicians. A hand painted banner hung just above the platform, reading: BEACH CITY SUMMER CONCERT in playful rainbow colors, a work of Steven’s, no doubt. Lapis brushed her way through the pockets of people who chose to intermingle a distance away from the show into a small clearing near the middle of the beach. She recognized a few familiar faces on her way: Jenny and Kiki, from the fish and pizza joint down the street, Vidalia’s oldest son, Sour Cream, and the mayor’s son, _Bart or something?_ Lapis wasn’t sure; her time working at the Big Donut was the only real window into the world of Beach city that she allowed herself, which meant limited interactions with the people around town and limited time for remembering names. Finding a decent spot in the sand, Lapis smoothed out the folds of her skirt and sat cross-legged amongst the groups of people who had already made themselves comfortable for the night with blankets, beach towels and drinks. She hadn’t planned to stay past 8:30, just long enough to see Steven and Connie’s opening act and then quietly excuse herself from the festivities during intermission.

She fiddled with her phone while she waited, feeling halfway between boredom and anxiousness. The crowd around her was beginning to settle in as a crew started setting and testing instruments on stage. Lapis glanced at the time, less than 5 minutes before the show was set to begin. _I can do this, just another half an hour then I’m out of here_.

An onslaught of sand bombarded Lapis without warning, wrenching her from her thoughts. Rogue granules of sand shot through the air, finding their way under lapis’ sweater and hair and in between the cracks of her phone case. Lapis yelped in surprise at the unexpected shower. She protectively covered her phone with her hands as the sandy bombardment continued for another moment before settling with a lingering of dust. Now in a fine layer of beach, Lapis shot a glare at the source of the sudden forceful intrusion to her right. A girl was sat where the sand had shot up from, like a miniature meteorite stopped short of total chaos by the impassable earth. The fiendish girl was giggling, cackling almost, like a villain in an old-time cartoon before she turned around to shout at someone in the crowd who Lapis couldn’t see. Lapis huffed in frustration at the girl who so nonchalantly invaded her space.

“Hey!”

Much to her growing annoyance, the small cannon ball of a girl hardly seemed to register Lapis’ presence at all. Lapis glanced down at her own lap; her skirt completely covered in sand from the oblivious girl’s antics. Now thoroughly irritated, she raised her head to glower at the one who had made a mess of Lapis’ personal bubble. The manic girl was smaller than Lapis, with a slightly rounder face and a gravity defying mess of short hair on her head. She wore a thick lime green pullover hoodie, so large on her that it seemed as if it would swallow her whole, and grey leggings cut off just below the knee. Her attention was pulled away from whoever she was shouting at a second prior, now focused on a small tablet in her hands. Large, thick rounded glass frames slid haphazardly down the small bridge of her nose as she tapped on the screen with small spindly fingers, absolutely ignorant of Lapis’ growing anger. Lapis raised her voice higher, “I said hey!”

The girl looked up from the tablet nestled in her lap, locking eyes with one furious Lapis Lazuli. The tiny girl’s face took on an expression of confusion at Lapis’ tone, “Hey?”

“You got sand all over me when you slid in here like you were gunning for home plate!”

The girl’s befuddlement changed little, she only seemed to stare harder at Lapis.

Lapis scoffed at the stranger’s silence, “Seriously?”

“What?” The girl’s voice had a high, almost tinny ring to it. _Nails on a chalkboard,_ thought Lapis.

“You’re not even going to say sorry?”

It was the stranger’s turn to scoff at Lapis, “Say sorry? For what?”

“For getting sand all over me!”

“It’s… a beach.”

“Yeah, so?”

“There’s sand everywhere. We’re literally ankle deep in sand.” The girl lifted her leg, also covered in sandy grains, to illustrate her reasoning.

“That’s not the point!”

“What’s the point then? You can’t go to the beach without expecting to get a little sand on you!”

Lapis was about to let the girl really have it when a group of three showed up behind her. Lapis recognized the trio from around town, one of them was a girl named Amethyst who Steven hung around with regularly. The other two included a tall woman with sunglasses and an afro, and another, less tall but twice as slim woman whose name Lapis was also unfamiliar with. Amethyst plopped down next to the green hoodied gremlin and slung an arm around her shoulders. “Hey, P-dot, making friends?”

“That’s one way of putting it.” The nasally girl, ‘P-dot’, as she was referred to, peered past Amethyst to lock eyes with Lapis before she stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry. _What an immature brat, what is she, 12?_ Lapis rolled her eyes and turned her attention back towards the stage where, one by one, the overhanging stage lights flicked on to announce the start of the concert. The women who stood just behind ‘P-dot’ and Amethyst unfolded the towels they were carrying, laying them on the sand before joining the rest of their group on the ground. Lapis couldn’t be sure, but she thought she saw the tall one with sunglasses shoot her a sidelong stare with a smirk. _Hmph._

Steven and Connie were the first to come onto the stage, each one carrying their own instrument. Steven had his Ukulele, and Connie, her violin. Each instrument was attached to a miniature microphone, connected to speakers on both sides of the podium to boost the sound for listeners in the back. They both took to the center stage and Steven grabbed the mic stand, readjusting it to sit comfortably at their height. The two shared a slightly nervous glance with each other; Connie gave Steven a reassuring smile before he turned back to face the quieting crowd. “Uh, good evening, and welcome to the 3rd annual Beach City Summer Concert, conveniently on the beach! Heh… um, I’m Steven Universe…”

“And I’m Connie Maheswaran, and together we are…”

The duo broke out in unison, “The Jam buddies!”

The crowd cheered when The Jam Buddies lifted their instruments and began to play. Amethyst let out a whoop and a laugh and the taller, slim woman behind her cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting encouragement, “Go Steven! Go Connie!” The crowd’s cheering died down as the duo picked up momentum with their music. Lapis watched inquisitively as the Jam Buddies played and sang in tandem with each other, each one relaxing as they concentrated on the music; Steven and Connie seemed to get lost in each other’s melody, their close friendship obvious from the way they harmonized with each other. _Wow,_ Lapis thought, _They’re good. Like, really good._

_\---_

The Jam Buddies sang off song after song (one of which he really did dedicate to Lapis,) and before she knew it, their setlist was officially over. The duo musicians cradled their instruments in their arms and took a bow as the crowd cheered them off the stage. Connie’s smile was as large as Steven’s. Lapis watched her lightly tugged against his arm as they made their way down the podium, descending into the crowd that swamped the stage. It was tough to find Steven after he disappeared into the wild crowd and with a start, Lapis realized that this could be the opportune time to make her escape. She stood up and stretched her cramped legs, shaking the leftover sand from the folds of her skirt and sweater. Lapis patted her phone lightly against her thigh, turned on her heels for an easy exit… and bumped headfirst into one very tall, very solid woman with sunglasses and an afro.

Lapis looked up at the towering woman and tried shifting to her right to pass her. Lapis realized that the beach had become packed with concert goers; a clear shot through the mess of people was clearly out of the question. She tried to scooch to her left. Again, no luck. Lapis could try bulldozing her way through the crowd, but the solid lady in front of her wasn’t going to make it easy. She needed out of here before she would miss her chance to make a quick getaway. “Par-pardon me,” she said as she nudged uselessly against the human blockade.

The afroed woman looked down to where Lapis was hopelessly trapped and smiled gently at her, as if she hardly noticed her trying to force her way through. “My apologies. I didn’t see you there.”

“That’s ok, I just need to get-”

“Garnet!”

Both Lapis and the tall woman turned their heads towards the sound of the familiar voice. Steven was eagerly pushing his way through the crowd to their location, holding his ukulele above his head so as not to accidentally knock it. “Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl! I’m over here!”

Garnet, as Lapis now knew her as, brushed past her and the crowd with an easy grace. She met Steven midway and swept him into her arms. He laughed in delight as Garnet lifted him into a bear-hug, like the young teen weighed little more than a feather. “Steven! You were wonderful out there.”

“You really think so?”

The other unnamed slender woman pushed through the crowd with both Amethyst and the manic girl on her toes. “We do! You were lovely on stage! You and Connie really make a pair.”

Steven blushed at that, “Uh, thanks Pearl! Connie’s over by her parents and my dad right now, I was gonna…”

Garnet set Steven down and he turned his attention from the group onto Lapis, who hovered awkwardly in the background, unsure of what moves would draw the least attention to herself. _Too late_. Steven’s face split into a toothy grin the moment his eyes fell on her. “Lapis! I thought I saw you in the crowd.”

“Hey Steven.” Lapis fiddled with the locks of her hair awkwardly. She stepped closer to meet him but remained a safe distance away from his other friends. “I was just, uh, you were… you were great out there. I never knew that you could play like that!”

Steven rubbed his arm sheepishly, his modesty showing through in spades, “Thanks, I’m glad you decided to come out tonight. Hey, did you get a chance to meet my family and friends?” He gestured at the three women standing behind him, “That’s Garnet, Pearl, and I’m sure you remember Amethyst! and behind Amethyst-” He pointed to ‘P-dot’ whose focus was laser focused on the ground, “- is Peridot! Everyone, this is Lapis Lazuli.”

Garnet raised her hand in greeting.

Pearl and Amethyst introduced themselves, “Pleasure to meet you, Lapis.”

“Yo. How’s it going?”

Peridot said nothing. _Tch._

Peridot only peeped at Lapis through those thick frames of hers, eyeing her studiously for a few seconds until her interest returned to the computer tablet that she carried in her hands. She seemed uninterested in properly introducing herself, so Steven introduced her instead. “Peridot’s a friend of mine from out of town. She’s moving here for the summer and is gonna be staying with us for a while.”

Peridot butted in with a self-satisfied smirk, “No need for formal invitations. I’ve actually become well acquainted with this…” She weighed Lapis with an appraising gaze, “…Lapis Lazuli.”

Lapis made no immediate move to comment. She glowered at the sand gremlin for a moment before she coolly returned her focus to Steven, “Yeah. We…met.” _Understatement of the Century._

Amethyst gently nudged Peridot’s side and whispered something in her ear, pulling her away from her unrelenting infatuation with the tablet screen and onto Steven, who must have sensed the tension in the air. He turned back towards Peridot, “Uh, I don’t know if you knew this Peridot, but Lapis moved to Beach City around a year ago, so maybe you guys could have some stuff in common that-”

Lapis interrupted Steven in a hurry. “I really don’t think that’s necessary Steven.” She fumbled with her phone for a moment, lighting up the screen in the darkening twilight to spare a glance at the time. “I actually gotta get going. I’ve got to get up pretty early for some art stuff, but next time you’re in town, swing by the Big Donut with your ukulele ok? It was great hearing you sing.”

Steven’s grin dropped slightly. He glanced back and forth between Peridot and Lapis, “Oh, yeah ok, sure. Sounds like a plan.” He offered a quick hug to Lapis, who returned in kind. “We’ll see you later then?”

It sounded more like a question than a statement, so Lapis nodded her head and waved gently to Steven, Garnet, Pearl, and Amethyst as she turned to leave. She locked eyes with Peridot for a spilt second; The small girl’s eyes held a trepidation to them that Lapis hadn’t detected before.

Lazuli turned, shrugging off the gaze of Peridot. Behind her, the concert speakers came to life with another band on set.

She made her way home through the parting crowd.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so Peridot's kind of a jerk. Can Lapis get jerkier? 
> 
> it's been tough to find my beat with this story but how do we improve our writing? By practice, of course! Also, Protip, DO NOT wash your arms with Mineral Spirits. I will neither confirm nor deny that I have done this before.
> 
> Anywho, thanks for reading :)


	3. An Intermission, A Premonition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A broom and a breather.

Friday morning embraced Beach city with a current of cool air from the West, effectively ending the heat wave plaguing its residents for 4 days straight. Lapis was tolerant of the heat to an extent; she loved it, really, but even she had to agree that these new 70-degree days weren’t unwelcome. She was scheduled for the earliest shift available at the Big Donut Friday and when Lapis stepped outside, she had to steel herself against the unexpected chill in the early air. A premonition of autumn, to be sure. The days had been getting shorter as the nights lengthened steadily. Dawn had yet to rise and the stars shone brightly over the sleepy town, and Lapis decided to forgo her beat up old pick-up for a stroll through the twilit streets. As she walked to work, she listened to the gentle taps and scuffs of her old sneakers hitting the pavement, coupled with the chirps of crickets in the grasses along the sidewalk. Lapis glanced up every now and again at the dusted sky above her. She gazed at the brightest stars dotting the skyline, mapping out constellations of her own creation.

_This… is nice…_

She picked up her pace as she made her way to the beachfront, the keys to the Big Donut jangling away in her pocket.

A few minutes after arriving at the donut shop, the blue haired girl started up an early pot of coffee, letting the aroma of roasting beans fill the air. Lapis delved into her morning shift with a fresh cup of black coffee in one hand and a box cutter in the other, unpacking donuts, utensils, napkins and cleaning supplies in the back room. She piled plastic knives, spoons, and forks into little cubbies to be taken out to the front counter and refilled holders with crisp white napkin stacks (Remember, at the Big Donut, napkins are always free!) She tore down old Beach City Summer Concert posters and threw all but one into the recycling container. Steven’s bubble letters graced the front of the print with the time and date of the performance, surrounded by pictures of various instruments that Lapis had etched and screen printed herself. She smoothed the creases from the poster’s edges and placed it by her mug of coffee to take home.

After Lapis finished stacking fridge units with the unboxed donuts, she settled on the stool at the front of the store. She plugged her phone into a small speaker jack hidden beneath the clerk counter. Calloused fingers held down the phone’s power button, waiting for the tell-tale buzzing of her cell coming to life. Lapis flew through her apps, checking both email and text:

_No new messages._

She sighed, closing out on her history before she opened her music app. Lapis took a minute to scroll through her saved playlists absentmindedly, setlist after setlist whizzing by her eyes in a blur before she tapped her thumb down on the screen, finding the one to fit her mood. She hit the shuffle button and listened as the speakers around the shop crackled to life; the sound of uplifting beats filled the empty room.

She tucked her phone under the counter and glanced around the florescent lit storefront for any task that might’ve been missed. Counters were cleaned and creamers were stocked, no doubt about that. A storage broom leaned out of place against the freezer to Lapis’ left. _Lars must’ve forgotten about it after closing shop yesterday_. Lapis crossed the cracked tile floor to where the broom sat listless. She picked it up, tossing the handle between her hands for a moment as she closely examined shoe scuffs on the floor.

The bluenette finished nearly all the prep work for the morning and she knew it was still almost a good half hour before the donut shop opened, lots of time to blow. Music from the dusty speakers hummed an upbeat jangle in the background. Lapis, familiar with the tune, hummed along. She cradled the broom for a moment in the crook of her arm, her eyes glossing over the room of fridges, freezers, and coffee makers.

She began to sweep.

She swept under the coffee counter, under the freezers, by the soda machines,

in front of the front door,

the back door,

behind the clerk counter,

across the empty floor space,

back and forth,

back and forth.

She began forming minute piles of dust as she went. As the minutes passed, Lapis started to sweep in time with the music. her steps became more rhythmic and her sashay more graceful as she began to sway with the stick of the broom, a good head and a half smaller than her, but a well-to-do partner none-the-less. The light uplifting notes in the song steadily amplified, continuing to get the better of Lapis’ concentration on her chore; she soon found herself dancing in time with the beat of the bass thrumming through the loudspeakers, the spindly broom becoming a part of a dance montage as she spun circles around its frame, twirling with it close at hand. Twisting, stepping and prancing from one wall to the next, she dipped and bowed with the handle as the notes of the song crescendo-ed in chorus and then softened, the last beats fading in a hazy crackle.

Lapis lifted her head with the closing of the song. Silence filled the air for a moment, as if applause from an unseen audience would suddenly burst forth at the drop of a pin, becoming thunderous. Outside, only the calls of gulls could be heard along the shoreline, breaking the ringing silence.

Lazuli breathed in heavily from the unexpected workout. She felt the worn wood of the broom in her hands, warm from the friction of her palms. Lapis gave it one final spin of her wrist before she lowered it to the floor and continued to sweep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So chapter three grew to be long, too long really, for my tastes. I would prefer not to exceed 3,000 words per chapter so I'm breaking it up a bit and I hope that's a-ok since the next part still needs some polishing. The next chapter should be available in the next few days though. Thanks for staying with me!


	4. Thunderheads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Storms, boston cremes, and rising tempers. Need I say more?

“Yo Peri, hurry up. We gotta be out the door in 10 if we wanna make it to the show on time.”

Peridot looked away from her window shelf in her storage locker of a room, her gaze now broken from where the plants that she insisted on bringing with her to the Universe-Quartz household sat, collecting equal parts dust and sunlight. Amethyst stood in the hallway opposite the window, leaned against the bedroom doorway. Her head was cocked to the side. A long lock of hair fell down her face, covering her left eye.

Peridot glanced at the clock she kept hanging on the wooden walls and turned her attention towards Amethyst, “The movie doesn’t start until 12:15, Why so early?”

“We wanna leave now so we can get the early bird viewing. It’s cheaper that way. And Steven’s meeting up with Connie over at the donut shop before we get there so… ya know, hurry up?” With a shrug of her shoulders, the silver maned girl pushed herself off the doorway and back into the kitchen.

Peridot stuck out her tongue behind Amethyst’s back. She returned to staring longingly at the variety of plants sitting precariously on her bedroom window. Different species of flowers and succulents filled the bare boards room with a splash of color: cacti, roses, aloe vera, clovers, small vines. On the shelves of her other walls sat odd knick-knacks, artsy sculptures and wrecked electronics that found new meaning as odd installation pieces; Peridot could barely fit them all on the shelves, but when she made the move to Beach City, she couldn’t leave them behind. It was amazing to her what little things she would hold onto that could make any place feel more like home, however temporary.

Peri scoot off her sofa-bed toward her dresser, nearly faceplanting as she dodged unpacked moving boxes along the way; she traded in her pajama shorts for a loose pair of skinnys and well-worn flip flops. Stuffing her phone and wallet into her jeans, Peridot opted to keep the sweater she was already wearing, and she shuffled out the doorway into the living room.

Amethyst and Steven stood near the front door, eyes on Peridot as she crossed the hardwood floor.

“Got money for your ticket, Peri?”

Peridot halfheartedly patted her back pocket where her wallet sat. “Right here.”

“Cool, how ‘bout you, Ste-Man?”

Yeah, I’m ready to go when you guys are. I just messaged Connie, she says she’ll be at the Big Donut in a few.”

Amethyst loosened the hair tie around her wrist, wrapping her long locks into a messy bun on top of her head, “Well then what are we waiting for?”

The trio headed out onto the beachfront. A wild wind nipped at Peridot as soon as they stepped outside. She tugged her sweater closer to her against the breeze, nestling her chin into the crook of her thick cowl. From the porch of the beach house, they could see incoming storms lingering a few miles down the coast. Neither Amethyst nor Steven paid them much mind, talking instead about how likely it was that Dogcopter VI would be as good as IV.

“What about Dogcopter V? That wasn’t so bad.”

“We don’t speak of Dogcopter V, Steven.”

“Oh, come on! I’ll admit, the pacing was a little off… and the plot… and the weird romance with the horse… but Peridot, you liked V, right?”

Peridot had dropped out of the conversation, her eyes tracing the waves that seemed unsettled in the storms’ presence. She paused her downhill trek, staring at the thunderhead encroaching on the coastline; its massive cloud formation shot a spark of fear down her spine. A low rumble could be heard in the distance, Lightning racing through the sky as if it were announcing the incoming storm like a trumpet in the wind; Peri jumped a little when Steven put his hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, you doing ok?”

Peridot snapped back into focus, dismissing the question with the shake of her head, avoiding Steven’s sympathetic gaze as she turned her eyes to the churning waves, “Of course! Little more than… than electrostatic discharge in the atmosphere. Nothing to be concerned with…” Peridot fell silent against another dull boom of thunder from overhead.

Steven offered a reassuring smile. He released Peridot’s shoulder with a squeeze, “Well then, we better catch up to Amethyst, she’s already on the beach.”

Peridot nodded wordlessly.

The two skipped along the sand against the current of wind. Breathlessly, they met Amethyst as she stepped onto the boardwalk and toward the Big Donut.

“Bout time! I was ready to go in and buy out all the goods. Why the hold up?”

Steven gave a shrug of his shoulders, “We got distracted.”

Peridot passed an appreciative glance to Steven. The three walked across the boardwalk into the welcoming warmth of the donut shop. The smell of hot coffee filled the air.

A short blonde with thick curls of hair stood behind the front counter rearranging pastries on the shelves. Her attention turned toward the door with the soft chime of the bell, “Steven! Amethyst! Good to see you guys.” The girl peeked over Amethyst and Steven’s shoulders at Peridot. “Oh, hey there. Didn’t see you, uh, I don’t think that we’ve met.”

Steven gently leaned into Peridot’s side, “This is my friend Peridot! Peridot, this is Sadie, she runs the Big Donut.”

Sadie laughed sheepishly, “Well I wouldn’t say ‘runs.’ I’m the lead manager of the place but actually running it is up to the corporate guys. Anyway, what can I get for you three?”

Amethyst piped up first, “I’ll have 2 of your Long John’s. One chocolate, one vanilla.”

“Sure thing, Steven?”

“Uhhh… I’ll take my regular, and a vanilla boston crème for Connie please.”

Sadie moved with a practiced grace, scooping up the orders from their shelves and plopping them into a to-go bag one by one. “And for you, Peridot?”

Peridot stepped up to the counter, “I’d like one of those confectionary fruit pastries you were selling last week, with the frosting on top. Do you still have that?”

“Oh, you mean the raspberry glazed puffs? That’s Lars’ specialty. He made some this morning but I’m not sure if we still have any in stock. I can have Lapis check. Just a sec…” Sadie turned on her heels for the storage room.

Peridot stiffened at the mention of Lapis. It couldn’t be, could it? The one she had the run in with at the beach party? it had to be; there was only one Lapis in the entire town of Beach City, as far as Peridot knew. And only one who happened to mention working at the Big Donut. Muffled whispers could be heard behind the door to the back room. Peridot began wringing her fingers together, a nervous habit.

Sadie returned from the back room not two seconds later. “Turns out we got a half dozen puffs left. Lapis will be right out with a couple. Since they’re a little old the second one’s free of charge. Is that alright?”

Peridot stared dumbly past the counter until she was nudged by Amethyst and Steven, who had saddled up beside her to grab their donuts.

Steven chimed in with a grin, “Sounds great! Maybe Peridot can share it with someone later.”

Peridot shot an incredulous glance to Steven, “Who would I-”

She was cut off by the sound of the storage door swinging open with a whoosh. Through the door like an ocean breeze was none other than Lapis Lazuli. Her hair, dyed almost a teal blue and cut to a lengthy bob, was the first thing Peridot noticed about her.

_I don’t remember it looking like that. How does she get her hair that color?_

Lapis wore the same faded lilac work shirt as Sadie and a pair of black skinny jeans that covered long legs, abruptly cut off only by a slim pair of faded black converse. Peridot might’ve gawked if Lapis hadn’t broken the few seconds of silence.

“Hey Steven! Hey Amethyst-” Lapis turned to Peridot as if she just now noticed her. The air shifted as Peridot and Lapis made eye contact. They hadn’t seen each other since the Beach night, but it was apparent that Lapis hadn’t forgotten about Peridot. _Maybe not a good thing._ Close up, Peridot could see that the bluenette stood at least 6 inches taller than her.

Her glare seemed to make her even taller, more intimidating.

Steven broke the too long silence, “Hey Lapis, you remember Peridot, right?”

Lapis stuck her arm out to Peridot, stiff as a board “Yeah, regrettably,” she mumbled. “These are for you?”

Lapis held out a paper baggy to Peridot. The jelly from the raspberry puffs had oozed onto the bottom of the flimsy paper bag, soaking it in a sticky, rosy coated mess.

_Aren’t those a little smashed?_ Peridot grimaced at the wasted bag, then back up at Lapis, whose eyes held hers in an icy stare.

The sound of thunder echoed through the room, ironically to Peridot the only relief in the crippling tension of the donut shop. She gulped, breaking eye contact with the girl with blue hair. She spoke the first courtesy that came to mind,

“Er… Wow, Thanks!”

Cautiously, Peridot reached for her pastries. Her fingertips lightly brushed against Lapis’ as she started to clutch the opening of the flimsy bag.

Lapis’ cold stare sobered for a second. She flinched at the unexpected contact, pulling away slightly and letting go of Peridot’s raspberry crème puffs just before the shorter girl could grab them. The group watched in horror as Peridot futilely tried to snatch the bag in midair, missing completely.

The package hit the ground with a splat, the puffs tumbling out of the opening of the bag onto the tile floor. Raspberry filling oozed its way into the cracks of the tiles as Amethyst, Steven, and Sadie watched in awkward silence.

Peridot stood frozen, her hands still outstretched and claw-like. She watched helplessly as the filling made its way across the floor before turning her eyes back to Lapis, who stood impassive.

“Uh,” Sadie coughed awkwardly, “Sorry about that Peridot. We’ve got a couple more in the back. Let me just run and grab them for you. Lapis, can you… grab the mop?”

The impassive stare was back on the bluenette’s face, “Yeah, sure.” Lapis turned on her heel towards the storage room. As quickly as she came, she exited through the back door just behind Sadie. Peridot shivered like a chill hung in the air.

“Wow… that was weird P-dot, even for you. Whatchu do to short circuit Lapis like that?”

Steven picked up the donut baggie from the floor, “I know it was kinda strange between you two at the concert, but did something happen?”

“It was nothing, we just had a… minor disagreement is all. About sand… and space.”

“Outer space?”

“Personal space.”

“On your first introduction?”

“Isn’t it always like that?”

Steven tossed the soggy bag into the trash before turning back to Peridot, “She can be distant, but Lapis isn’t normally so unfriendly. Maybe we can invite her to the movies. Give you two time to get to know each other, like a second chance?”

Peridot shrugged her shoulders, the rest of the already low enthusiasm for the day seemed sucked from her in a matter of minutes.

Amethyst whispered lightly, “That’s a nice gesture Steven, but Lapis seemed pretty ticked. And Peridot’s, well… Peridot. You sure it would be a good idea?”

Before Steven could answer, the door to the back room swung open, Lapis toting a mop and bucket behind her. Sadie was next to enter with a crisp white bag carrying three pastries, “Here you go Peridot, I got another free one for your trouble. We’re really sorry for the mess.”

Peridot reached for the bag, tentative and suspicious, as if she were doomed to repeat the mishap a second time, “Thank you…”

“No problem. Where are you guys heading off to today?”

Steven popped a bite of donut into his mouth, “The movies. We’re gonna go see the latest Dogcopter as soon as Connie gets here. And that reminds me,” He turned hopefully to Lapis, mopping furiously at the mess beside her, “we were wondering if you guys would be free to come see it with us.”

Sadie leaned over the counter, “Well, as much as I’d like too, I’m gonna have my hands full here for the next 5 hours. Lapis, are you going to be off the clock soon?”

The blue haired girl stopped her scrubbing. She tossed the mop between her hands, turning back to Steven, “It’s thoughtful of you to ask, but actually… I’m…”

There went the puppy-dog eyes again. The same slightly-mopey-slightly-hopeful stare he gave her when he invited her to the concert was back on Steven’s face. She fidgeted under his gaze.

“Honestly, er, seriously, I’d like to, but I’ve got other stuff going on after work.”

Curiosity getting the better of her, Peridot spoke up. “Other stuff?”

“Yeah. Other. stuff.”

“…Like what?”  


Lazuli’s icy glare was back tenfold, laser focused on Peridot. She couldn’t help but shrink back from the stare.

“Like stuff that doesn’t concern you, busybody.”

The apprehension that Peridot wore like a mask was ripped off at the insult. “Busybody? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you’re nosey, you haven’t bothered to apologize for the way you acted at the beach, and for the five minutes that I’ve known you, you’ve managed to get on my last nerve in every way imaginable.”

Peridot’s face grew red; her eyes became glassy behind those thick frames. She could feel her temper soar and the heat racing down her neck as she locked eyes with Lapis, “Hey, I just came in here to get my pastries and go. It’s not my fault you can’t perform a trivial task to a basic _standard_.”

Lapis scoffed in disgust, her eyes rolling up towards the florescent lamps on the ceiling “Basic English, Poindexter, try and use it.”

Sadie jumped in to intervene, “Lapis, maybe you should take a-”

“You want layman’s terms? Fine.” Peridot crinkled her donut bag tightly in her fist, stepping back towards the front door, “You can’t put a donut in a baggie without crushing it, you can’t treat a customer like, like a customer _should_ be treated, and you can’t hold onto a paper bag to save your life. You, Lapis Lazuli, _suck_ at your job.”

With a huff, Peridot angrily swung the entrance door open with the force of the approaching storm. She marched out onto the boardwalk, pushing past Connie as she stepped onto the patio, and ambled off as quick as her legs could take her.

Perplexed, Connie watched Peridot turn down the end of the boardwalk into town.

The young girl slipped into the eerily quiet shop before the door could close and shook the cold from her coat, “Uh, Peridot just ran off without saying hi. What was that about?”

Amethyst, Steven and Sadie turned to Lapis, stiffly standing with the mop and bucket; her face looked to be carved from stone and her fist claimed a white-knuckle grip on the mop handle.

Steven stepped toward her, “Lapis, what-”

Lapis turned towards the break room. She stormed out without another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a doozy to get through. I actually spent more time debating about what to write than actually writing it, but for better or worse, I'm glad it's out there. Much love to ziraseal proofreading this one for me as well, and I've got the story very roughly planned out so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for smoother sailing (And maybe art in the future)! Thanks for reading :)


	5. Good Gifts and Green Leaves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sweaters, arcades, and watering.

Peridot listened to the drip-drip-dripping of the rain pattering against her window, her back flat against her worn mattress and books scattered haphazardly among her sheets. She let out another sigh into the air and counted the seconds that passed by in a daze, her mind humming with the white noise outside of the Universe household. The signs of summer were well out the door, replaced by a more familiar coldness that sank into the girl’s bones and encouraged heavier wear for the easily chilled. “Sweater Weather,” as if Peridot didn’t already wear sweaters every chance she got. But the sudden drop in temperature warranted a little extra clothing. The cold seemed only colder the closer you got to the oceanfront; the first frost of fall also brought a torrent of sleet and rain on Beach City, effectively ending tourist season and Peridot’s seasonal job in the Beach City Public Works.

She heard the farmers’ market might be looking for help soon.

She hoped.

It had been nearly 3 weeks since the spat between her and the blue haired girl down at the donut shop. Peridot now avoided the store like the plague, keeping her head down every time she walked past the windows so as not to accidentally make eye contact with one Lapis Lazuli. She dreaded the girl, and whenever Steven brought home a coffee or donut from the store for Peridot, she took extra care to toss the stuff in the trash when he wasn’t looking. Who would trust those donuts after they were maybe-possibly handled by a woman with a grudge? Peridot couldn’t take the chance.

***

_After the scene at the Big Donut, Peridot skipped out on Dogcopter VI. She walked through town until the steam coming out of her ears settled into a low boil, and she decided on spending some quarters at the old arcade down the boardwalk, racking up high score after high score on Paperboy and Galaga until the sunset bathed the arcade in an orange glow. When she returned to the beach house, Peridot found Steven, Connie, Pearl and Amethyst playing a game of Monopoly; she quietly sat watching the rest of the game until it ended with Pearl inevitably coming out on top._

_Despite the occasional sidelong stares from Amethyst, no one mentioned what happened earlier and for that, Peridot was grateful._

_It wasn’t until the next day that Steven brought it up. They were on the front porch of the beach house, watering and fertilizing Peridot’s growing collection of plants._

_“I know you’re having a tough time with Lapis right now, but you might find that you’ve got more in common than you realize.”_

_Peridot stopped the tilt of her watering can, hovering just above a recently adopted rose. She fought the urge to roll her eyes at Steven’s persistence, “and what exactly would I have in common with that closeminded, subpar, ham-fis-”_

_Peridot paused her ramblings at Steven’s furrowed brow and frown, “Ahem, what I mean to say, Steven, is that Lazuli and I have very little in common, as evidenced by our… ungainly introduction. And even if we did have anything in common,” she emptied the rest of the watering can into the flowerpot, “I doubt she would tolerate me enough to… to explore even an ounce of camaraderie.”_

_Steven shook his hands of potting soil, “Maybe you can win a little of her time somehow, make sure she knows that you’re willing to be friends or acquaintances.”_

_Peridot scoffed, “And how would I do that? Better yet, WHY would I do that? We obviously don’t get along. I tried playing nice with her before, but she has a penchant for holding grudges, all over trivial matters, none the less.”_

_“Well… I dunno. To be honest, you’ve been seeming kind of down about the whole thing since it happened. I think it’s bothering you more than you’re letting on,” Steven gave a shrug of his shoulders, “Maybe you can ask her if she still wants to see Dogcopter? You missed out the first time-”_

_It was Peridot’s turn to shoot Steven a glare._

_“Right, you’re right. Probably a little too chummy. Well… what about a gift? Nothing expensive, but something small to let her know you’re sorry about the fight.”_

_“And why am I doing all the legwork to make friends with Lazuli? She’s just as big a part of the trouble as I am!”_

_“It’s little steps, Peridot. Show you’re the bigger person who’s willing to apologize; if she doesn’t accept a gift, then… at least you can say you tried.”_

_With a ‘humph,’ the shorter girl turned from Steven toward the screen door. She headed inside to refill her watering can. Letting the faucet blast cool water with a twist of the knob, Peridot paused as she dragged her eyes across the living room. She let the water rise to the brim._

_“I can’t believe I’m letting a fourteen-year-old give me life advice…”_

_A gift? Peridot hummed to herself. What makes a good gift?_

***

The rain slowed its descent on the beach house. Peridot willed herself up from her bed, shifting the heaps of books on either side of her small frame, her eyes settling on the little rose placed on the window ledge. The flower wore a small singular yellow blossom like a crown and carried a bushel of green leaves on each growing stem, placed in a pot of simple ceramic. She walked to the rose, gently lifting a budding leaf into the light of the windowpane. She studied the shades of green that varied from leaf to leaf, measuring the maturity of it by the lightness of color. Peridot felt exactly like these different leaves, rich in experiences to an extent, but still a shade of ‘new green’ in many other aspects of her life. Maybe that’s why she enjoyed the rose so much.

“That’s a beautiful flower you have there.”

Peridot jumped at the sudden intrusion behind her. She turned to find Garnet standing in her bedroom doorway.

The woman stood nearly as tall as the doorframe, cloaked in a thick sweater and striped pants, and her rounded shades hid her eyes from the world. “I apologize, I didn’t mean to sneak up on you.”

Peridot shifted awkwardly in her fuzzy slippers, switching glances between the rose and Garnet’s unseen eyes. “That’s alright, I didn’t know that anyone else was here, is all.”

A small smirk graced the tall woman’s lips. She pulled out a phone from her back pocket and lit the screen in Peridot’s dim room. “Pearl messaged me a few minutes ago. She, Steven, and Amethyst are heading down to Fish Stew Pizza for a bite to eat and asked if we would like to join them. You’re more than welcome to come, if you’re free,” She pushed the rim of her sunglasses gently up her nose, “Dinner is on me.”

Peridot peeked down at her own attire: a ripped hoodie, slippers, and loose sweats, not exactly public attire. “I suppose I could, but will you give me a minute to change?”

“Of course, I’ll leave you to it. I’ll just be in the living room.” Garnet reached for the handle of the door, pulling it closed as she walked out. She paused just before the door shut, poking her head through the doorway once again. She scanned the walls of Peridot’s cozy room of plant life.

“That’s quite the beautiful collection you have there… they would make for wonderful gifts,” and with a smile, Garnet clicked the door shut behind her.

Peridot stared at the flowers and sculptures that decorated her walls, her eyes settling on the yellow rose.

“Yeah, yeah I guess they would.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I've played Paperboy and Galaga both in an arcade and I gotta tell you, they're not even half as easy as Peridot makes it look.  
> No crazy action packed sparks flying between our two favorite gems today, but give it time. It's gotta get worse before it gets better.


	6. Amends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Terra cotta and temperature drops.

“You know, the sooner we go in, the sooner we can go back to playing Golf Quest Mini.”

Peridot groaned in defeat as Steven clutched her free hand between his, gently leading her toward the doors of the Big Donut. In her left hand, Peridot carried the pot with the yellow rose close to her chest, shielding it from the blustery wind that threatened to topple the delicate stems. The little leafy gift was wrapped in a simple ribbon, like one found on a birthday present, and though she wouldn’t have told Steven, Peri spent almost a half an hour in the giftshop before she finally settled on that particular ribbon: It matched the color of Lazuli’s hair.

They entered the shop with the chiming of the bells. It was empty save for a lanky boy who lay slouched over the cash register, completely uninterested in their entrance. Peridot recognized him from the last time she visited Beach City, at a bonfire. The outrageous poof of curly red hair resting on his head was unmistakable.

Steven let go of Peridot’s hand and made a quick jog to the counter, “Hi Lars! Is Sadie or Lapis around?”

Lars barely acknowledged Steven’s question. He only gave a shake of his head, mumbling something unintelligible into the metal of the register.

Steven leaned in closer, “What was that?”

“Ugh, I said,” Lars lifted his head, “that Sadie isn’t working today. I’m the one she stuck with the long shift.”

“What about Lapis? We have something we wanted to give her.”

“We?”

Steven nodded in Peridot’s direction, who was working hard to make herself as unnoticeable as possible. Her eyes were downcast, focusing intently on a suddenly very interesting granular notch in the cracked tile.

“Yep, me and Peridot. We- er well Peridot has something she wants to give her.”

“You mean…” Lars let out a snicker, “Oh yeah. I heard about that. Sadie told me _all_ about Lapis and _Peridot_.” He thumbed towards the storage room, “She’s taking out the trash. Why don’t you two go around back so if you decide to make a mess again, I won’t have to clean it up.”

“Thanks Lars.”

Lars rested his head back on the register, “Yeah, don’t mention it.”

Steven and Peridot shuffled out the door they came in, making their way to the back of the shop.

Peridot fiddled nervously with the gift, tracing the loops of ribbon with her fingertips. “I don’t know if this such a great idea. What if she doesn’t want to see me? I mean, obviously you would think by now that everybody likes me, but she’s not everybody! She doesn’t like me. She’s… she’s-”

Steven stopped in his tracks. He placed his hand on the shorter girl’s shoulder, looking her straight in the eyes, “Peridot, if you don’t want to give her the rose right now, you don’t have to. I don’t want you to do something you’re uncomfortable with.”

Peridot squinted suspiciously at Steven, the rim of her glasses rising with the scrunch of her cheeks, “…But?”

“But what?”

She breathed out sharply, “But aren’t you going to tell me that not giving her the rose means that I’m not being the bigger person?”

“No.”

“…No?”

“No, of course not. Peridot, you’re already being a bigger person by trying to see this through. I didn’t force you here to give Lapis the gift. You did that. You wanted to do that. You’re the one putting the effort into making amends, and if you feel like you’re not ready to give her it, or you just need some time to think about what you want to say, then don’t worry about it.” He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly, “We can do this another time, if that’s what you want.”

He let go of the shorter girl’s shoulder. Peridot paused her fidgeting, looking down at the small yellow rose blossom, then back up to Steven. The sparkle in his eyes offered her a renewed determination. It was as if Steven took a piece of his own confidence and instilled it into Peridot. Sure, she could do this! Who would reject a gift as beautiful and carefully constructed as this flowerpot? _Not Lazuli, that’s for sure_. Peri clutched the little flower close to her chest and marched forward to the back of the Big Donut. To the dumpster. To amends. To Lapis Lazuli.

***

Lapis hefted her 4th bag of trash into the dumpster, arms burning slightly with the effort. As she learned on her 1st week of working at the shop, getting Lars to do any sort of manual labor when Sadie wasn’t around was like pulling teeth. But to be truthful, Lapis didn’t mind tossing trash and mopping messes so long as she was away from the front counter, so she let him be.

It was just as she was tipping the 5th bag over the lip of the dumpster that she heard muffled voices around the corner. She perked her head up, straining to hear two distinctive people whispering to each other. The sound of their footsteps drew closer and Lazuli held bated breath as they rounded the corner of the brick building. To her surprise, one of the voices belonged to Steven. Lapis began to break out in a grin right before she saw Peridot one step behind.

Her smile dropped.

“Lapis! Heyyy..” Steven drawled out greetings with a nervous chuckle.

“Hey Steven. What’s up?”

“Peridot and I were just in town and thought, er well, Peridot had thought, uh…”

Lapis quirked an eyebrow at the unusually tongue-tied boy. Her eyes drifted to the bespectacled girl nervously digging her heel into the ground.

Peridot looked up, first at Steven stumbling through his botched introduction and then to Lapis, if only for a split second. Peridot’s hands were clasped around something hidden behind her back.

Steven, finally catching up to his own rambling, motioned Peridot forward “Peridot brought you something! A gift!”

With a nod of encouragement from Steven, the smaller girl shuffled forward and pulled what out what she was hiding. Her arms stretched towards Lapis with what looked to be a small potted rose on the other end of her grip, and Peridot gave an awkwardly charming, if somewhat forced, smile.

“Tada!”

Lazuli looked down at the yellow rose, up to Peridot, then down again, her steely gaze boring into the simple plant.

Peridot deflated slightly at the lack of acknowledgement; it felt like a dismissal. Determined, she stepped slightly closer to Lapis, one foot sliding along the ground, then another. Her eyes never quite met Lapis’ until she was just an arm’s length away and she cleared her throat. “See,” Peridot pointed to the pot, a faux confidence brewing in her as she spoke,” the ribbon is even blue, like your hair.” She pointedly shot an awkward wink and a finger-gun in Lapis’ direction, “I gotcho number.”

Lapis hardly budged from where she stood, intentionally ignorant of Peridot’s attempts to charm her. Lapis’ gaze was instead fixated on the small rose, her brow furrowing at the gift. Peridot shirked away an inch, turning to Steven for assurance who could only offer a shrug in response. For a moment, to Peridot anyway, the tension seemed unbearable. Her limited confidence was wavering.

“Uh, here, Lemme just, uh…" Peridot’s attention turned back to the plant, adjusting the bow so it didn’t cover the new leaflings of a stem, “When I moved here, Steven gave me a plant like this one, as a gift, and I didn’t really get it at first, but… it made me feel better. Just to take care of something more… trivial. To get my mind off some uh, weird stuff that was happening and to help me get in touch with my inner gardener, I guess…” She gently pushed the rose into Lapis’ hands, “It’ll help you too! Not that you need help, but… roses are hardy, so you just water on occasion and fertilize and stuff and when it’s large enough, you can transplant it somewhere sunny! Oh, I even brought instructions!” Peridot pulled a small piece of paper from her pocket and tucked it neatly between the gap of Lapis’ fingers and the pot.

Pulling back from Peridot, Lapis lifted the rose slightly higher. For just a moment, a whiff of its perfume danced along with the gentle breeze, enveloping Lapis in a pleasant scent. She felt along the rough edges of the terra cotta with her freehand, examining the leaflets near the new bloom and lifting the yellow blossom petals to see them in better light.

_It is pretty, in a gangly way._

The flower’s fragrance was overtaken by the powerful fumes of the dumpster, pulling Lapis back from her musing. She lifted her head to an apprehensive Steven and Peridot. Lapis’ stony stare returned; her body posture stiffened at the hopefulness on the shorter girl’s face.

_As if she could just give me something and expect me to suddenly like her. As if I can like_ anybody _in this… this dead-end town. What would it take for this girl to get a clue?_

With a sudden feeling of contempt towards the gift, Lapis forced the potted plant away from her embrace and held it precariously between her fingers. Her face darkened with her thoughts. She spoke finally, words striking out in rigidity and stinging like a verbal whip aimed precisely at Peridot.

“I don’t. Want. _Your garbage._ ”

She took one last look at the rose before unceremoniously dropping it from her hands.

For a second time, Peridot watched something of hers slip through Lapis’ fingers to certain doom. The pot hit the hard pavement, ceramic shattering on contact and scattering across the dirty blacktop. The loud crash was followed by a stunned silence. Peridot recoiled from the noise, skirting back defensively to protect from a few slivers of the ceramic pot catapulting toward her and Steven. The rose managed to keep mostly upright thanks to the cushion of soil, but a few stems had broken off during the hard landing and the ribbon that Peridot had picked specifically for Lapis sat in a heap of dirt and debris.

The moment caught up to Peridot and her face twisted into pure frustration at the sight, “Urgh! So… _what_? You got a grudge against roses too?!”

Lapis’ hard stare broke for a heartbeat at Peridot’s outburst.

“Look, I get it, you know? I didn’t exactly make the best impression the first time, o-or the second. Maybe when you first moved here, this place didn’t exactly feel like home. Maybe it still doesn’t, and I didn’t help. Meeting people is hard, knowing people is hard and no one could _possibly_ understand how that feels.” Peridot pressed her hand against her chest, “Oh, wait. _I do_! I know I’m not the best at reading people, a-and for that, I’m sorry. But I’m trying to _understand_ , to make good! I’m trying to be better… so tell me then… what you want from me! And whatever _that_ is, I’ll do it…”

Lapis flushed with anger. Her fist’s curled tightly around her sides and she tasted the venom from her words as she hurled them like the sharpest of knives.

“I want you… _to leave!”_

Peridot shirked back from the demand, her jaw clenching for a half a moment in a mix of bitterness and hurt. Steven was stunned into silence just behind her, but after a moment, Peridot swallowed the sharp dismissal down like it meant nothing,

“…ok.”

Her demeanor was suddenly, eerily calm; it was as if Peridot had flipped a switch with practiced ease. She obediently turned away from Lapis, and with stiff posture, she walked past Steven back the way they came without another word.

The bluenette and younger boy listened as Peridot’s steps faded further and further into the distance. Lapis hardly relaxed with each fading step, her arms crossing over her chest to protect from the chill, as if the temperature just dropped a dozen degrees.

Steven’s head snapped back to Lapis, his eyes filled with something foreign, something unusual.

_“_ Lapis, why are you being so mean to her? She’s really trying.”

“Why do you like her so much Steven? And why do you keep encouraging her? She’s been nothing but self-absorbed since I met her.”

“Because I know her! Lapis, you’re not even giving her a chance!” The teen shook his head at Lapis, his eyes full of what she now could see was akin to sorrow. “She has her moments, but so do you! So do I! You should’ve at least gotten to know her before you decided that you don’t like her.”

Lapis averted her eyes away from Steven and towards the busted plant by her feet. The gloomy sky had opened some minutes prior and a frozen drizzle begun to fall on Beach City. She watched as the rain tamped down the leaves of the dejected rose. She creased her lips into a frown at the sight.

_I did that._

With hesitation, Steven turned from Lapis toward the same direction Peridot took off for moments before. “I… I gotta go find her, Lapis, before I can’t. I’ll talk to you later.”

He was gone before Lapis had a chance to speak.

Not that she really had more to say.

Her eyes were trained on the little yellow blossom, cold tendrils of rain trickling down her back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ya'll thought I was joking when I said I was gonna write this out nice and slow huh? But if you follow canon, then you know that everything is 'up' from here (kinda.)
> 
> Anywho, I've been exactly where both Lapis and Peri are right now. Like, Peridot, I have the tendency to put my foot in my mouth way too much, especially when I'm nervous. Like, Lapis, I catch myself judging before I get the chance to really know someone. 
> 
> Remember, "People are hard to hate up close."
> 
> Most of the time.

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, I've no idea how long this will be but I fully intend to finish it, even if it takes a while. Hope you enjoy it, regardless.


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